Bathing cap



sept. 14 1926. 1,599,898

c. l.. KARK BATHING GAP Filed Marsh 3, 1922 JNVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES CHARLES LOUIS KARK, F RACINE, W'ISCONSIN.

BATHING CAP.

Application filed March 3, 1922. Serial No. 540,758.

lhis invention bathing caps.

It is the object of this invention to provide a bathing cap adapted to adjust itself to the contour of the head and -neck of the wearer in such a manner as to excludeall water.`

It is a further object of this invention to provide a bathing cap which will attain the object above specified without increasing the usual pressure of such caps upon the head of the wearer.

ln the drawings: n

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the rubber pads shown in Fig. l. i

Fig. 3 is a view taken upon the section designated by line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the cap as it appears in use.

Fig. 5 is a plan view lof a modifiedconstruction.

Fig. 6 is a representative section through r the continuous pad shown in Fig. 5, as it appears in use. y

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views. i

The body 10 of the cap is of ordinary construction. It is preferably provided adjacent its margin with` a reenforcing band 11, in the usual manner.

The present invention contemplates the use in connection with the bathing cap above described; or with any type Vof bathing cap intended to protect from dampness the hair of the wearer, of one or more pads adapted to conform without unusual binding pressure to the head of the wearer. In the construction illustrated inFigs. 1 to 4, inclusive, two pads are used, one pad being disposed adjacent each ear of the wea-rer. In the modilied construction illustrated in Figs. 5 andv 6, a single annular pad extends continuously about the margin 11 of the cap.

relates to improvements in Each of the pads above referred to is Y preferably L-shaped in cross section and of a materially greater body thickness than the i body 10 of the cap. The pads shown in Figs. 1 to 4, for example, are each provided with a relatively wide member 12 adapted to rest against the side of the wearers head, ,and a narrower A which :is preferably substantially at right bone and head or with his and more flexible flap-13' angles to the member 12. Each of the members 12 and 13 is graduated in thickness in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3, the

greatest thickness being at the juncture of vcurved line representing the normally distended margin of the cap as in Fig. 1. Said juncture point will preferably coincide with the peripheral median line of the reenforcing strip 11. The body 10 of the cap may e glued or otherwise secured to, or made integrally with, the member 12 as shown in Fig. 3, and the marginal strip 11 will then be fastened to or made integrally with the flap 13. The flap 13 will preferably extend, forfthe greater portion of its length, beyond the edge of the marginal strip 11.

lVhere only two pads are used,as in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the members 12 are preferably made convex as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. It has been found that the convexity of these members aids in distributing the pressure of the cap over the ears of the wearer. f Y f It has been observed that there is a vertically disposed hollow in the neck of human beings. This hollow lies behind the jaw beneath the ears and is indicated at 15 in Fig. 4. Wlhen an ordinarybathing cap is worn, its margin being under tension, will not curve inwardly to Vconform to the iiesh of the wearer at such hollow points as that referred to, and consequently, it is very common for water to find its wayv up the hollow 15 and beneath the margin of the cap Where it dampens the hair of the wearer and thus destroys the effectiveness of the cap. When the present invention is applied, as shown in Fig. 4, the Vinner face of member 12 will lie for the greater portion of its area in contact with the side of the wearers ear. The greatest pressure of the capwvill be applied at the point of juncture between members 12 and 13. At this point, the pad will not contact with the wearer due to the fact that members 12 and 13 are disposed at right angles and are of suflicient thickness and resilience so that they cannot be flattened by the pressure of the marginal 'reenioreing band 116 The pressure of said, will, therefore, be

transmitted through both of said members 12 and 13 to the head of the wearer. Member 12, being the larger, will tend to lie more flatly against the wearers head than will the relatively short flap 13. As a consequence of this construction, the resiliently flexible margin of flap 13 will contact closely with the skin of the wearer and will conform to the contour of the wearers fiesh irrespective of any hollows which may lie therebeneath. The manner in which flap 13 curves inwardly at 16 in conformity with the outline of the hollow 15 in the wearers neck is clearly indicated in Fig. et. The pads applied as indicated effectively utilize the normal pressure of the margin of the cap to close against the entrance of water such hollows as that rwhich is shown at 15.

Some individuals have pronounced hollows adjacent their temples and at the nape of the neck. The margin of a bathing cap of ordinary construction stretched taut across such hollows is bound to permit of the entrance of water. To prevent such a possibility, a cap may be constructed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 wherein theV members 12 and 13', corresponding` in general to members 12 and 13, are made substantially less in their extent in either direction from the line of juncture between them, their proportionate sizes being, however, preferably reserved. Members 12 and 13', like members 12 and 13 previously described, will be resiliently spread apart against the head of the wearer by the pressure of the margin 1l of the cap, and the edges of the pad members will thereby be caused to conform to all hollows in the head of the wearer which are encircled by the cap.

lt will bevunderstood from the foregoing that one or more pads constructed of resiliently flexible material disposed in the form of two flaps joined in an L-shape may be used as desired. It is immaterial to this invention whether two pads are used in the manner shown in Figs. 1 to 4:, inclusive, or whether a single pad is continuously disposed about the margin of the cap, or whether that portion of the cap margin lying between the two pads shown in Fig. 1 is filled with pads of lesser dimensions, such as that shown in Fig. 5.

l claim:

1. ln a device of the character described, the combination with a rubber bathing cap, of a rubber pad of materially greater body thickness than said cap, said pad comprising a plurality of angularly joined flaps tapering in thickness from the line of Vjointure toward their extremities, one of said flaps being disposed to conform substantially to the material of said cap and the head of a wearer, and the other of said aps being inwardly directed for marginal contact. with said head, said iiaps having their joined margins of a thickness tending to preserve their relative angular positions, whereby the inwardly directed flap will be yieldably positioned by said first mentioned flap and will be pressed into marginal contact with the head of a wearer by the margin of said cap.

'2. The combination with a rubber cap having a marginal portion adapted to lit closely about the head of a wearer, of rubber pads oppositely disposed upon the marginal portion of said cap and positioned to cover the ears of a wearer, each such pad comprising two flaps joined substantially at right angles and of unequal size, the larger of said flaps being arranged within the marginal portion of said cap, whereby to be held by such portion flat against the head of a wearer, and the smaller of said flaps being of such thickness and comparative infiexibility at its juncture with the larger flap as to maintain itself at right angles thereto and having a free marginal edge of relatively great flexibility and so held by the angular position of said flaps and by the pressure of the marginal portion of said cap as to tend yieldingly to establish an edge contact in conformity with the contours of the wearers head.

The combination with a bathing cap having a yieldable marginal portion adapted to fit closely about the head of wearer, of a resiliently flexible pad eoniprising two divergent flaps, one of which is wholly within said marginal portion and adapted to be pressed thereby into conformity with the head of a wearer and the other of which is maintained in an inwardly directed position, said fiaps having sufficient body at their point of juncture to be self supportingto maintain the inwardly directed position of said other flap under such pressure as is exerted by the margin of the cap, and said last mentioned flap being provided with a margin more flexible than its portion adjacent said line of juncture, whereby to be conformable to the contours of adjacent portions of a wearers head.

il. The combination with a bathing` cap having a yieldable margin, of a flap connected with said margin and projecting inwardly therefrom, said flap having a base portion adjacent the margin of the cap of sufficient body to maintain its inward direction and having a margin more flexible than said base portion and adapted to be forced by said base portion into conformity with the contours of a wearers head, together with means connected with the base portion of said flap and connected with a portion of said cap above its margin, whereby to be held by said cap against the head of the wearer, said means being adapted to provide an anchorage with reference to which` said base portion may take its position.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a pad for use with bathing caps, said pad comprising two flaps having relatively heavy base portions connected substantially at right angles and adapted to maintain their angularity undersuch pressure as is exerted by the margin oit a bathing cap, one of said pads having a relatively more flexible inarginal portion extending with smooth continuity and adapted to conform to portions of a wearers head against which it is pressed.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a. bathing cap pad comprising two flap portions of unequal width having relatively thick bases joined substantially at right angles and adapted to maintain their angularity under such pressure as is exerted by the margin of a bathing cap, the narrower ol" said flaps having a relatively more flexible marginal portion adapted by such angularity to be forced against the head of a wearer of a cap equipped with such pad, and of such smooth continuity as to conform to the contours of such a head.

7. The combination with a bathing cap,

of a resiliently liexible pad comprising two angularly divergent flaps tapered in thickness from their point of juncture to their margins.

8. A bathing cap pad for the purposes aforesaid, said pad comprising a pair of angularly joined flaps of substantial body thickness and tapered in thickness from the is thickened and rendered relatively inflexible, and a marginal flap angularly joined with said re-enforceinent and having its line of juncture of a thickness adapted to maintain its relative angular position with reference thereto, said iiap being of tapered thickness toward its outer extremity, whereby its extremity will have increased flexibility.

CHARLES LOUIS KARK. 

